Google pays hundreds of millions of dollars in fine for location data


Photo: ANP

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has agreed to pay a fine of $391.5 million for unauthorized use of users’ location data. Prosecutor Dana Nessel announced that the fine has been paid to dozens of US states.

“Google derives most of its revenue from using personal information of those who search the company’s browsers and use apps. The company’s online access allows it to target consumers without their knowledge or consent,” Nessel said in a statement.

The issue of location history settings issues was raised in 2018 after an article by the Associated Press. He stated that “Google tracks your movements, even if you explicitly say you don’t.”

According to a Google spokesperson, the allegations are about company policies that have been changed long ago. However, the group will not get rid of the settlement with cash payment alone. The attorney general’s office said that in the future, Google should be more transparent to consumers about when so-called location tracking occurs and provide users with detailed information about location data on a special web page.

Location data tracking has been particularly sensitive in the US since the US Supreme Court overturned the right to abortion nationwide in June of this year. Authorities can use the data to track, for example, women who have chosen to have an abortion in another country. Because of these concerns, Google previously announced that it would automatically delete data from people who went to sensitive websites, including abortion clinics.

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